Written Answers Nos. 305-327
305. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of senior house officer positions in each of the public and voluntary hospitals, the number of such positions vacant and the number of these positions being filled by locums on 1 March 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4824/16]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
306. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Health the number of registrar positions in each of the public and voluntary hospitals; the number of such positions vacant and the number of these positions being filled by locums on 1 March 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4825/16]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on this matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
309. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of surgery for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry in Cork University Hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4829/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
310. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of non-rostered National Ambulance Service staff by ambulance region. [4831/16]
View answer311. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of hours worked by non-rostered National Ambulance Service staff by ambulance region in 2015. [4832/16]
View answer312. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the salary costs associated with the use of non-rostered National Ambulance Service staff by ambulance region in 2015. [4833/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 310 to 312, inclusive, together.
As these are service matters, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
313. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Health the number of vacant positions in the north-east ambulance region that have been filled since the introduction of the workforce support policy on staff transfers, NASWS015; the number of applications that have been made by staff in this region; and the number of vacant lines remaining on the ambulance rosters for this region. [4834/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
314. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health to examine the long-term illness list and the introduction of a case-by-case examination, as certain persons (details supplied) have complicated medical conditions that the criteria seems to overlook which has huge effects on lifestyle and mobility; if standardised criteria is not always the fairest way to allocate resources. [4844/16]
View answerThe Long Term Illness (LTI) Scheme was established under Section 59(3) of the Health Act, 1970 (as amended). Regulations were made in 1971, 1973 and 1975 specifying the conditions covered by the LTI Scheme, which are as follows: Acute Leukaemia; Mental handicap; Cerebral Palsy; Mental Illness (in a person under 16); Cystic Fibrosis; Multiple Sclerosis; Diabetes Insipidus; Muscular Dystrophies; Diabetes Mellitus; Parkinsonism; Epilepsy; Phenylketonuria; Haemophilia; Spina Bifida; Hydrocephalus; and conditions arising from the use of Thalidomide. There are no plans to extend the list of conditions covered by the LTI Scheme.
Under the Drug Payment Scheme, no individual or family pays more than €144 per calendar month towards the cost of approved prescribed medicines. The scheme significantly reduces the cost burden for families and individuals incurring ongoing expenditure on medicines.
Under the provisions of the Health Acts, medical cards are provided to persons who are, in the opinion of the Health Service Executive (HSE), unable without undue hardship to arrange GP services for themselves and their dependants. In the assessment process, the HSE can take into account medical costs incurred by an individual or a family.
315. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the status of a hospital appointment for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4850/16]
View answerUnder the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. Section 6 of the HSE Governance Act 2013 bars the Minister for Health from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual.
The National Waiting List Management Policy, A standardised approach to managing scheduled care treatment for in-patient, day case and planned procedures, January 2014, has been developed to ensure that all administrative, managerial and clinical staff follow an agreed national minimum standard for the management and administration of waiting lists for scheduled care. This policy, which has been adopted by the Health Service Executive, sets out the processes that hospitals are to implement to manage waiting lists.
In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.
316. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health when interventions will be put in place for a person (details supplied) in County Cork diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder following the persons assessment of need report. [4859/16]
View answerAs the issue raised by the Deputy relates to an individual case, this is a service matter for the Health Service Executive. I have asked the HSE to look into the particular matter raised and to reply directly to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
317. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health to expedite an application for a medical device by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4868/16]
View answerAs this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for direct reply to the Deputy. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
318. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the protocol in place for the provision of emergency medical cards for cancer patients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4869/16]
View answerThe HSE has a system in place for the provision of medical cards in response to an emergency situation for persons with a serious medical condition in need of urgent or on-going medical care that they cannot afford and persons in palliative care, who are terminally ill. With the exception of terminally ill patients all medical cards, granted on an emergency basis, are issued on the basis that the patient is eligible for a medical card on the basis of means or undue hardship, and will follow up with a full application within a number of weeks of receiving the medical card eligibility. Eligibility, in these circumstances, is granted to a named individual for a period of six months. These are issued within 24 hours of receipt of the required patient details and a letter which confirms the medical condition from a doctor or consultant.
Under the Health Act 1970, eligibility for a medical card is founded primarily on the undue financial hardship test. The Act obliges the HSE to assess whether a person is unable, without undue hardship, to arrange general practitioner services for himself or herself and his or her family, having regard to his or her overall financial position and reasonable expenditure.
In certain circumstances, the HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds his or her income threshold, where he or she faces difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services. The HSE affords applicants the opportunity to furnish supporting information and documentation to fully take account of all the relevant circumstances that may benefit them in the assessment, including medical evidence of cost and necessary expenses.
The Deputy may be aware of the "Keane" Report of the Expert Panel on Medical Need for Medical Card Eligibility with a key recommendation that a person’s means should remain the main qualifier for a medical card. It also recommended that it is neither feasible nor desirable to list conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility.
It is clear that there are people with medical needs and it is important that they should be able to access necessary assistance in a straight forward manner. Greater discretion is being exercised by the HSE as evidenced by the number of discretionary medical cards in circulation, which has increased from about 52,000 in mid-2014 to over 102,000 at the beginning of March 2016.
On foot of the Keane Report, the HSE established a Clinical Advisory Group to develop clinical oversight and guidance for the operation of a more compassionate and trusted medical card system. The Director General of the HSE, on accepting an interim recommendation of the Group, made a decision to award medical card eligibility to all children under 18 years of age with a diagnosis of cancer from 1 July 2015, with the card to be held for a period of five years. The Clinical Advisory Group is continuing its work on the development of guidance on assessing medical card applications involving significant medical conditions.
We do not have a universal eligibility system for primary and community health services. Until we have universal health care and everyone is entitled to health care, one will always have anomalies. There will always be somebody who is just above a means threshold, or who does not have a prescribed disease, or whose condition is not sufficiently severe and, as a result, these individuals will not meet the assessment criteria.
319. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Health the status of the provision of funding for the autism unit in Ballyseedy, Tralee, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4872/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
320. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Health the status of assessments that are awaited for a person (details supplied) in County Cork including when these will be scheduled. [4873/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
321. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Health if his Department is in receipt of a funding application from an organisation (details supplied) in County Mayo; if he is aware of the urgency of the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4878/16]
View answerMy Department has not received an application in 2016 for National Lottery funding from the organisation referred to by the Deputy.
However, if the organisation referred to wishes to apply for National Lottery funding this year detailed procedures along with the application form for 2016 are available on my Department's website at http://health.gov.ie/about-us/national-lottery-grant-scheme/.
322. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to support the Dyspraxia Association of Ireland in receiving the necessary support and assistance for many families living with dyspraxia here (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4883/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, he can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
323. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to provide recreational services for mental health patients who are living in residential care with support, particularly for those living on their own and in low support accommodation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4884/16]
View answerAs this is a service issue this question has been referred to the HSE for direct reply. If you have not received a reply within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
324. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to remove the human papilloma virus vaccine Gardasil as a matter of priority and support the Reaction and Effects of Gardasil Resulting in Extreme Trauma parent group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4885/16]
View answerThe immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice and international best practice.
The HPV vaccine protects girls from developing cervical cancer when they are adults. It is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in 1st year of secondary school.
Each year in Ireland around 300 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine protects against two high risk types of HPV (16 & 18) that cause 73% of all cervical cancers. Vaccinated women and girls will still be at risk from other high risk types of HPV that can cause cervical cancer and will therefore need to continue to have regular cervical smear tests.
By January 2016, over 200 million doses of Gardasil have been distributed worldwide. In Ireland 580,000 doses of Gardasil have been administered and over 200,000 girls have been fully vaccinated against HPV since it was introduced in 2010.
In Ireland, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland. While no medicine (including vaccines) is entirely without risk, the safety profile of Gardasil has been continuously monitored since it was first authorised both nationally and at EU level. This is done by both monitoring of individual adverse reaction reports received by competent authorities across Europe (including the HPRA) and Periodic Safety Update Reports submitted by the Marketing Authorisation Holder (i.e. license holder) for the vaccine on a regular basis.
As part of its monitoring of the safety of medicines, the HPRA operates an adverse reaction reporting system, where healthcare professionals and patients are encouraged to report adverse reactions they consider may be associated with their treatment, through the range of options in place for reporting. All reports received are evaluated and considered in the context of the safety profile of the product concerned, with reports followed up as necessary for further information, that may assist in the assessment of the case.
In November 2015 the European Medicines Agency completed a detailed scientific review of the HPV vaccine. The review which the HPRA participated in, specifically focused on rare reports of two conditions, complex regional pain syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome associated with heart rate increase. The outcome of the review found no evidence of a causal link between the vaccine and the two conditions examined.
On 12 January 2016 the European Commission endorsed the conclusion of the European Medicines Agency stating that there is no need to change the way HPV vaccines are used or to amend the product information. This final outcome by the Commission is now binding in all member states.
I am aware of claims of an association between HPV vaccination and a number of conditions experienced by a group of young women. It appears that some girls first suffered symptoms around the time they received the HPV vaccine, and understandably some parents have connected the vaccine to their daughter’s condition.
As I have previously stated, I want to make it quite clear that anyone who is suffering ill health is eligible to seek medical attention, and to access appropriate health and social care services, irrespective of the cause of their symptoms. The individual nature of the needs of some children may require access to specialist services.
As Minister I consider meeting any organisation that requests to do so. However due to busy parliamentary work and other business it is not always possible to meet all representative groups. I have been informed that the HSE has met with members of REGRET concerning this issue.
325. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on a submission received on the future of disability policy in Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4886/16]
View answerThe submission referred to by the Deputy was made in response to a public invitation for submissions on health-funded disability policy in Ireland in November 2011. The call for submissions asked for the views of the public on the Disability Policy Report prepared by the Policy Expert Reference Group, which was established to advise the Disability Services Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Review Steering Group.
The submissions were considered carefully and taken into account by the VFM Steering Group in finalising their Report on the Value for Money and Policy Review of Disability Services in Ireland, which was published in July 2012. The Review, which is currently being implemented by the Health Service Executive, recommended a significant restructuring of the Disability Services Programme through migration from an approach which is predominantly organised around group-based service delivery towards a model of person-centred, individually chosen, supports; and implementation of a more effective method of assessing need, allocating resources and monitoring resource use.
326. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health his views on correspondence concerning the national social partnership agreement 2016 and the national carers strategy in 2008 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4887/16]
View answerThe National Carers' Strategy signals the Government's commitment to recognising and respecting carers as key care partners and in responding to their needs across a number of policy areas. A key objective of Government policy for older people, children and adults with disabilities is to support them to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Carers are vital to the achievement of this objective and are considered a backbone of care provision in Ireland.
The letter furnished with the Deputy's Question raises issues which extend beyond the direct remit of the Department of Health and which require responses from a number of Government Department's and agencies. In recognition of the diverse range of issues which impact on carers, the National Carers' Strategy states that “Each Department will have responsibility for the implementation of actions for which they have been allocated responsibility. Parliamentary work relating to specific actions will be addressed by the Department with responsibility for specific actions."
On this basis specific queries raised by this Question have been referred to the responsible bodies as shown below for direct reply to the Deputy.
- Income Support/Infomation Services/Personal and Technology Development:- Department of Social Protection
- Health Care and Services:- Health Service Executive (as the issues raised relate to operational service delivery)
- Programme of Training/Labour Market Issues:- Department of Jobs, Enterprise, and Innovation
- Transport:- Department of Transport
- Housing:- Department of Environment, Community, and Local Government
- Life Long Training and Education:- Department of Education and Skills
- Protection by the Law:- Department of Justice and Equality
- Social Inclusion/Making Contact with Public Bodies/Time spent as a Carer:- As these issues have relevance across the remits of public bodies they have been referred to all of the above for appropriate reply with regard to their areas.
327. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Health to fund transportation services for adult dependants with a disability who are attending day care services, such as St. Michael’s House, and to provide additional resources into respite care for these dependants (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4888/16]
View answerAs the Deputy's question relates to service matters, I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) for direct reply to the Deputy. If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, she can contact my Private Office and they will follow the matter up with the HSE.
